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* See the Top 3 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Flavio *

In 1974 the Fiat 127 reaches what would end up being its highest annual European sales volume, up a fantastic 20% on 1973 to 479,100 units. We welcome a newcomer on the podium: the Renault 5, while the Fiat 128 drops one spot to #3.

I only have official sales data for the best-selling model in Sweden over the period: the Volvo 140 Series. Launched in 1967, the Volvo 140 grabbed the pole position in 1968 and kept it for 7 consecutive years, peaking at 53,759 units in 1972.

1,251,374 units of the Volvo 140 were produced over 9 years, a very high number for that time and a record for Volvo then. Meanwhile, Saab’s star model during the period was the 99, produced at 588,643 units between 1968 and 1984.

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* See ‘Read more’ for the Top 80 best-selling models! Thanks DC for the data *

Thanks to DC and www.autoweek.nl, I am able to share with you the Top 80 best-selling American passenger cars in 1974 (no imports sorry). Launched in 1970 to counter the success of such small imports as the VW Beetle and Datsun/Toyota, the Ford Pinto is the best-selling American model in 1974 with a very impressive 360,688 sales.

Plymouth Valiant

It is followed by the Plymouth Valiant at 337,585 units and the Chevrolet Chevelle with 333,405 sales. The Chevrolet Vega takes the 4th spot at 326,307 units, ahead of the Chevrolet Impala with 311,696 sales and the Chevrolet Nova at 302,811, making it 4 Chevrolets in the Top 6!

Chevrolet Vega

AMC Hornet

Notice also the Ford Mustang at #7, the Ford Gran Torino at #10, the Dodge Dart at #11, the Cadillac DeVille at #14 and the AMC Hornet at #20.

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* See ‘Read more’ for the Top 100 best-selling models! Thanks DC & Florian for the data *

Another trip down memory lane today, this time to West Germany in 1974, which is a relatively weak year in terms of sales volume at 1,662,384 registrations. For the first time since 1938, it is not a Volkswagen that tops the models ranking but a Mercedes! Taking advantage of a changeover year between the Beetle and the Golf, the Mercedes Strich 8 finishes the year in pole position with 140,127 sales and 8.4% share, up 2 spots and 3% on 1973.

VW Passat

The VW Passat flamboyantly takes the 2nd spot for its first full year of sales in the country at 132,988 units and 8%, ahead of the Opel Kadett, up 2 spots and 3% with 127,457 sales and 7.7%. The VW Beetle falls by 49% to 4th position at 121,511 units and 7.3% and is followed by the Opel Rekord (-42%) and Audi 80 (-39%).

Datsun Cherry

1974 sees the birth of the legendary VW Golf, landing directly in 7th place with 71,403 sales and 4.3% share. The BMW “-02″ holds well at #10 and 45,241 units and the Renault 4 still best-selling foreign model at #11 with 44,526 sales. The Renault 5 takes the 2nd spot at #18, followed by the Fiat 128 (#19) and Simca 1100 (#20).

Further down the ranking, notice the Citroen 2CV at #22, the Peugeot 504 at #23, the Datsun Cherry best-selling Japanese model at #49 with 4,829 sales, followed by the Datsun 1200 (#50), Toyota Corolla (#56) and Datsun Bluebird (#70).

The Hillman Hunter rounds up the podium at a strong 6.8% share (vs. #11 and 2.6% in the UK), followed by the BMC Mini at 5.5% and, strikingly, 3 Fiats in a row: the 127 at 5% of the Irish market and the 124 and 128 both at 4.8%. In fact, Fiat is the #2 brand in the country this year with no less than 18% of the market! There are two more foreigners in the Top 10: the VW Beetle at #8 and Renault R4 at #9. Notice also the Datsun Cherry at #19

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* See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Rene *

Norwegian car sales are up a timid 1% in 1974 to 90,239 registrations. The Volvo 140 manages to stay in pole position for the 4th consecutive year at 7,894 units and 8.7% while the Ford Taunus is up one spot to #2 with 5,526 sales and 6.1%, followed by the Opel Kadett at 4,824 sales and 5.3%, up a huge 73% year-on-year.

VW Passat

For the first time in the history of the brand in Norway, the Beetle is not Volkswagen’s best-seller: this title goes to the Passat/Santana this year, ranking #4 at 4.8% share for its first appearance in the Norwegian Top 10. The Beetle loses half its sales compared to 1973 and is down to #5.

Peugeot 504

Notice two newcomers in the Top 10: the Peugeot 504 at #7 with 2.8% share and the Toyota Corolla at #8 with 2.7%, the best-selling and only Japanese model in the Top 10 this year.

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* See the Top 150 best-selling models and Top 57 All-brands by clicking on the title! Thanks Andrea *

After two years spent in the shadow of the Fiat 128, the Fiat 127 becomes the best-selling model in Italy in 1974 and would stay at that position for 9 consecutive years, which is one year longer than the Fiat 600 and Fiat 500… Thanks to Flavio we have access to annual Italian sales of the Fiat 127 over the period, showing a peak at 248,000 units in 1974 and staying above 200,000 annual sales the entire time! Thanks to the UNRAE team, I can also share with you the yearly Top 20 most produced models in Italy and Top 20 best-selling brands: see ‘Read more’.

Autobianchi A112

Thanks to Andrea we can now go through the Top 150 best-selling models over the first 9 months of 1974. Over the period, the market is down 5% year-on-year to 1,045,438 registrations, 74% of which being Italian brands vs. 26% for foreigners. The Fiat 127 is up 42% to pass the 200,000 unit-mark after just 9 months at 207,348 units for a huge 19.8% market share, while the Fiat 126 is up 25% to 142,789 sales and 13.7%. Leader in 1973, the Fiat 128 is down 28% to #3 at 118,921 units and 11.4% over the period.

Lancia Beta

The Autobianchi A112 is up two spots on 1973 to land in 4th place with 5.6% share, the Fiat 124 is stable at #5 and the Renault 5 is up a fantastic 53% and 5 ranks to a remarkable 6th place with 36,803 sales. Further down, notice the Fiat 132 up 5 spots and 36% to #11, the Citroen Dyane up 9 and 43% to #15, Lancia Beta up 4 to #16, Renault 4 up 8 to #22, Citroen Ami 8 up 11 to #24 and the Peugeot 104 up 13 ranks and 84% to #32.